The classic show tune ‘Give my regards to Broadway’ was playing in my head as I fired up the new Aston Martin DBX S – which is not so much a 4×4, as a four-by-phwoah.
But I wasn’t in the centre of New York theatreland. Instead, I was driving through the picturesque, honey-coloured village of Broadway in the heart of the Cotswolds, a quintessentially English scenic rural area which has become a magnet for celebrities.
Posh and Becks have called it home, as have Jeremy Clarkson and his Diddly Squat Farm, as well as former prime minister David Cameron and his Chipping Norton set. It’s natural territory, then, for the new flagship high- performance Aston Martin SUV – which packs a punch while displaying impeccable manners.
As I set off from Broadway’s Lygon Arms to explore the surrounding roads and villages, what I found so surprising about the DBX S is that, despite its immense power, it’s a remarkably easy and civilised car to drive.
Powered by a 727 horse-power, 4.0-litre, V8 twin-turbo petrol engine linked to a 9-speed automatic gear-box, it can accelerate from rest to 60mph in just 3.1 seconds (62mph in 3.3 seconds). Where legal, it will hit 100mph in 7.2 seconds, with a top speed of 193mph.
The GT grand touring drive mode is great for relaxed cruising. But for more engaged driving, I moved up to the Sport and Sport-plus modes where extra oomph is accompanied by a wonderful throaty roar from the quad exhaust pipes.
Impeccable manners: But the Aston Martin DBX S packs a punch with a a 727 horse-power, 4.0-litre, V8 twin-turbo petrol engine
With great road-holding and balance, it’s powerful without being intimidating.
I also tried out its ‘launch control’ function, which involves putting your left foot on the brake while flooring the accelerator with the right, then lifting off the brake for a flying start. Exciting, but I’d not make a habit of it.
It’s certainly no slouch: the DBX S has an extra 20 horsepower over the DBX707, creating a school-run supercar SUV. Yet with sleek lines, Apex Grey paint, a carbon-fibre roof and body pack and riding on 23in lightweight magnesium black wheels, it looks quite an elegant beauty – despite the lurking beast within.
The latest version will set you back a hefty £210,000
With great road-holding and balance, it’s powerful without being intimidating
It doesn’t snap your neck when you hit the accelerator, while the sports seats are remarkably comfortable and supportive
With sleek lines, Apex Grey paint, a carbon-fibre roof and body pack and riding on 23in lightweight magnesium black wheels, it looks quite an elegant beauty
Plus, it doesn’t snap your neck when you hit the accelerator, while the sports seats are remarkably comfortable and supportive, and can be set to heat or cool the driver and passengers.
Lightweight options, including extensive carbon fibre trim, offer a reduction of up to 47kg over the continuing DBX707, albeit costing £5,000 more. A carbon-fibre roof option lowers the centre of gravity for even more dynamic handling.
However, while the latest version will set you back a hefty £210,000 – take heart.
Even at that price you wouldn’t be able to buy much in the way of property in the Cotswolds.
Put a review on the ‘Tripadvisor for cars’
Fancy yourself as a rival to Top Gear and Grand Tour hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May or Richard Hammond?
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Described as ‘Tripadvisor for cars’ and ‘the UK’s first dedicated car review site written by owners’, it is the brainchild of Steve Fowler, who over three decades has edited WhatCar?, Autocar, and Auto Express.
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